Crisp, tangy, and succulent citrus rosemary chicken, seasoned Mediterranean-style with garlic, rosemary, and oregano, and covered in a bold wine and orange marinade.
This post is sponsored by Erath Wines. All opinions are my own.
This simple twist on roast chicken makes a dish that is at once crisp and succulent, with the perfect balance of savory, tangy, and warm flavors! Delicious and impressive with little work involved.
Word to the wise, allow the chicken a little bit of time in the citrus marinade—one to two hours in the fridge, if you can. But if you don’t have the time, even 30 minutes is great.
Pair it with Erath 2019 Oregon Pinot Noir!
As wine pairings go, many people choose white wine to serve next to chicken dinners. But roast chicken is one of those rustic meals that pairs incredibly well with certain red wines. Which should you choose to serve with this recipe?
To me, a glass of Erath 2019 Oregon Pinot Noir is the perfect pairing to this comforting rosemary roast chicken with citrus.
If you’re not familiar, Oregon Pinot Noir is truly unique. The nature of the climate and soils translates into Pinot noirs that display flavors and aromas reminiscent of pure fresh red fruits like pomegranate, strawberry, and pie cherry. The purity and freshness of Oregon Pinot Noir sets it apart.
The beautiful red fruit notes in this Erath Oregon Pinot compliment the rosemary and citrus flavors in the chicken without overwhelming the palate. And the smooth, lengthy finish is just perfection! Pinot as should be!
To elevate the flavor even more, I also used a little bit of the wine in the chicken marinade.
The citrus marinade
The marinade is what makes all the difference in this simple rosemary and citrus chicken recipe. It works to tenderize the chicken and infuse it with flavor.
The citrus marinade in this recipe is made of a combination of wine, orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, tomato paste for color and umami, and fresh garlic, onions, rosemary, and other Mediterranean spices.
The key to great flavor here is to allow the chicken a good 1 to 2 hours in the marinade (refrigerated), and make sure to lift up the chicken skin to spoon some of the garlicy, citrus marinade underneath. If you only have a few minutes, leave the chicken to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or so.
How to make roasted rosemary chicken (a few tips)
I used a whole chicken split in half for this recipe, but you can also use chicken breast or thighs, and you may have to adjust the cooking time accordingly. Here’s a quick idea of how this recipe goes with some important tips (scroll down for print-friendly recipe):
- Make the citrus marinade. In a large bowl, combine the wine, orange juice and zest, lime juice, olive oil, tomato paste, spices, garlic, and onions. Whisk well.
- Use split chicken or chicken pieces of similar size for even cooking. If using whole chicken, split in half discarding the backbone. This will allow the chicken to lay flat in the pan for even cooking.
- Marinate the chicken anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours for best flavor! Add the chicken to the marinade and toss to coat, making sure to spoon some of the marinade underneath the skin. Cover and refrigerate if marinating for longer than 30 minutes)
- Roast in a high-heated oven.Transfer the chicken and the marinade to a braising pan or baking dish. Roast on the middle rack of the oven at 425 degrees F for about 45 minutes (rotate the pan 180 degrees after 30 minutes).
- Brush with honey and broil for amazing color and crispy skin! After the chicken has roasted for 45 minutes or until fully cooked through, carefully chicken from the oven. Combine 1 to 2 tablespoons of honey with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and use a brush to coat the chicken with this delicious honey mixture. Return the chicken to the oven, this time, under the broiler, for 3 to 4 minutes (watch carefully to make sure the skin does not burn).
- Rest before serving. Once you take the roast chicken out of the oven, allow it to rest at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
What to serve with roast chicken with rosemary and citrus with
Serve this citrusy roast chicken with a bottle of Erath 2019 Oregon Pinot Noir and any number of sides. You can stay with the citrus theme and serve this chicken with a light Fennel Orange Salad and a side of couscous. Or try sides like fried brussels sprouts, roasted butternut squash, or sweet potatoes.
It also works with other bright Mediterranean sides like Italian roasted vegetables; baked zucchini spears; or quick lemon and garlic sauteed asparagus.
Other roast chicken recipes to try
- Baked Cranberry Chicken with Rosemary
- Roast Spatchcock Chicken
- Juiciest Baked Chicken Thighs
- Sheet Pan Rosemary Chicken & Vegetables
- Garlic Dijon Chicken
Browse all Mediterranean recipes
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Citrus Rosemary Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (about 3 ½ pounds), split in half through the backbone
- Kosher salt
- 1 cup Erath Pinot Noir
- 1 orange zested and juiced plus 1 sliced orange
- 1 lime juiced, plus 1 sliced lime
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp Aleppo pepper
- 7 to 8 garlic cloves minced
- 1 yellow onion halved and sliced
- 1 tbsp honey
Instructions
- Season the chicken with kosher salt on all sides, making sure to season underneath the skin as well. (You can do this one night ahead of time and keep the chicken in the fridge to air-chill uncovered).
- Prepare the citrus marinade. In a large bowl, add the wine, orange juice and zest, lime juice, 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, tomato paste, spices, and a good dash of kosher salt. Add the garlic and onion. Whisk to combine.
- Add the chicken and toss to coat, making sure to lift the skin up and spoon some of the marinade underneath (this will give you more flavor). Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes. Alternatively, cover and refrigerate for an hour or two (for best results, take it out of the fridge and leave the chicken at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes before cooking)
- Preheat the oven to 425 F and adjust a rack in the middle.
- Transfer the chicken and the marinade to a braising pan. Roast for 30 minutes, then carefully turn the pan 180 degrees and roast for another 15 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender (juices should run clear).
- In a small bowl, mix together the honey with 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. Carefully remove the chicken from the oven and brush the top with the honey and olive oil mixture.
- Switch the oven to the broil function. Return the chicken back to the oven about 6 inches away from the broiler and cook briefly for 3 to 4 minutes, watching for the skin to turn a nice golden brown.
- Remove from the heat and finish with lime juice. Add slices of fresh orange and wedges of lime.
Notes
- Once the chicken is out of the oven, allow it 10 minutes to rest before slicing and serving.
- Visit Our Shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including extra virgin olive oils and spices.
Cool! As I sit here in Barcelona, an immigrant from Oregon, I love that you are promoting an Oregon Pinot. Even though I have access to the french kind easily now, Oregon still has some of the best! I will be trading the recipe soon! I love your site!!!
You have the most wonderful recipes, This site is my go-to when planning a nice meal, thank you so much for sharing these with all of us:)
I was wondering, in the recipe above, can I substitute fresh rosemary for the dry?
Sure! You’ll want to use 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary. Enjoy!
This recipe looks delicious and fits my diet. I don’t have a braising pan. Do you have a recommendation for another type of cookware to use?
Hi, Sandra. Any oven-safe baking dish will work fine here.
Making this now but I don’t see where the sliced lime and orange are added so I’m adding them to the braising pot. BTW I love every recipe I’ve tried from your site. Thank you!
Hi Suzy, greetings from Singapore. I have been a fan of your dishes for 3 years now, and today, I thought that I should express my gratitude. You’ve changed our dinners from unhealthy, salty dishes to a flavourful, exciting Mediterranean spread. Thank you so much, from our family.
I look forward to making this new dish tomorrow. 🙂
– Amor
Hello, Amor! Thank you for taking the time to comment! Very kind words and much appreciated. It’s so wonderful that you and your family are eating healthier and enjoying the recipes you find here!
This chicken recipe looks fabulous. Your recipes always have the ultimate flavors and are top notch. Love the wine glasses with the Erath wine. May I ask where you purchased them?
Awwww! Thank you so much, Sarah! Those wine glasses were from Crate and Barrel.
I don’t know what i did wrong but the chicken took over an hour to cook and parts were still under cooked. Also, should there be so much liquid left after cooking? i will try it again with better results I hope.
This recipe is a winner! The sauce is so bright and fresh tasting, and the chicken came out really tender. I’ll be making this again! Thank you!
Thanks, Tina!
Delicious and easy! I absolutely love the marinade!
Thanks, Deb!
think I,ll try this one. Looks yummy.
Could i use skinless breasts instead?
Sure! Just be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Reviewing the sequence of the recipe, I couldn’t see where the onion is added to the recipe. It really looks amazing.
Hi, Beverly. The onions are added right in with the marinade.
Hi , I would love to make this recipe but what can I substitute for Pinot Noir ( meaning alcohol free recipe)
Hi, Nigar. I would just increase the citrus and olive oil and totally omit the wine in this case. You can also add a bit of vinegar if you like.
Wonderful recipe! A bit of balsamic vinegar works very well. Absolutely LOVE everything I cook from this site.
Is that 1 teaspoon of Aleppo pepper?
Yep. Sorry about that :).
Hi Suzy, this looks amazing! I would like to make it with thighs or breasts on the bone. I did have one question – you have “1 Aleppo pepper” in the ingredient list, but the link takes me to where I can buy crushed Aleppo peppers, what is the correct quantity? I’ve never seen whole Aleppo peppers in the markets near me, will regular crushed pepper flakes work? Thanks, I hope to make this in the next few days and will let you know how it turns out!
Thanks for pointing that out. It should read “1 teaspoon Aleppo”. I’ll go in and fix the error. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Looking forward to trying this recipe. I’ve had a half chicken waiting for something just like this… What’s the internal temperature I should be looking for?
To be fully cooked, the chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Hope you enjoy it!
Absolutely delish! This would be great for the holidays or a dinner party, for sure. It’s elegant yet simple at the same time.